The WTO plays an important role in supporting efforts to achieve international regulatory cooperation







(IR C) and to facilitate trade. First, the WTO provides a multilateral framework for trade among its 164







members, with a view to ensuring that trade flows as smoothly, predictably and freely as possible. Second, the







WTO's Agreements provide important legal disciplines, helping to promote good regulatory practice and IR C at







the domestic level as a means of reducing unnecessary barriers to trade.This publication highlights how







the WTO's Agreements on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary







Measures (SPS) and the work of their related Committees promote opportunities for regulatory cooperation among







governments and ease trade frictions. It demonstrates how members' notification of draft measures, harmonisation







of measures with international standards, discussion of specific trade concerns and other practices help to







facilitate global trade in goods. The study also makes recommendations on how to benefit further from the







transparency and cooperation opportunities provided by the TBT and SPS Agreements.